


Matters of the Heart

by ChasingLyrics



Category: Supernatural
Genre: ALL THE FLUFF, Crying, Established Castiel/Dean Winchester, Fluff, Heart Transplant, Hospitals, M/M, Military Castiel, No Smut, One Shot, Original Character(s), Sick Dean Winchester, Soldier Castiel, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Video Prompt, Worried Castiel, Worried Sam Winchester, deployed castiel, not accurate
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-22
Updated: 2018-08-22
Packaged: 2019-07-01 00:57:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,116
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15763326
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChasingLyrics/pseuds/ChasingLyrics
Summary: A video Prompt from Palominopup's facebook page about a man whose recent heart transplant meant he was the only one who could settle a baby.Cas is on deployment and Sam's just phoned to tell him that Dean's just gone in for his heart transplant. Everything wasn't how he expected when he arrived back on US soilTitle credit goes to Lorelei2005Update 8/9/18 - fixed a plot hole that was pointed out, damn those pesky things





	Matters of the Heart

Sam collapsed in the chair closest to the bed, reaching for his brother’s hand, holding it in both of his. Despite how late it was into the night, Sam prayed that his brother would wake up, that the anti-rejection drugs would work, that he’d get better.  


“You gotta wake up Dean,” he began to whisper, pressing his forehead into his brother’s upper arm, “Cas is tryna get back here, so he can kick your butt for worrying him.” He lifted his head to blink at the unconscious man, “I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets a bollocking from his boss after. Can’t imagine he’s been polite since they told him no.”  


“Keeping watch, are you?” Sam twisted at the soft voice to see Jody Mills in the doorway. He shrugged.  


“There’s no chance of you going home to shower and sleep is there?” Sam shook his head, feeling her fingers squeeze his shoulders. Jody had often worked with Dean whenever the fire and police departments teamed up and Sam knew that she’d become an honorary mother to his brother.  


“Well if you don’t mind, I’ll start sending the guys home. They want at least one of them here though.” Sam nodded slowly, feeling the sheriff lean down to press a kiss to the top of his head, her arms wrapping around his shoulders in a hug.  


“Will you let them know that he made it through surgery?”  


“Of course, kiddo, let me know when he wakes up,” she said, shifting to kiss Dean’s forehead, careful of the tubes and wires attached to him. Sam knew he should face his brother’s colleagues, firefighters he’d fought alongside for fifteen years, that he should be the one to give them the updates, but he didn’t know how to face them without his brother there as a buffer.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Castiel switched off the satellite phone, glaring over at the tent where the camp Major had set up his office. Even as the anger bubbled in his chest, worry and fear had him feeling nauseated. It hadn’t been long after Dean’s accident that he’d been deployed for fifteen months despite his pleas for the orders to be passed on to another so that he could stay.  


Shaking out his fists, Castiel straightened his uniform, adjusted his beret and stalked past the Major’s tent, heading instead to the tent where his Lieutenant Colonel had set himself up. He knew that if he had a wife instead of a husband on the transplant list, he’d never be out here in the desert. Now that he’d confirmed that Dean had gone in for heart transplant surgery, there was no way he was staying. 

~~~~~~~~~~~

Dean pushed himself down the corridor, pausing every couple of meters to catch his breath and rest, his hand pressed against his chest, relishing the feeling of the strong heartbeat as he slowly made his way through the corridors towards the elevator bank. It had been just over a year since his accident, a faulty cable caught in the rising floodwater as he had worked to clear homes for an upcoming hurricane. The current had been strong enough to weaken his heart so that it could barely pump the blood around his body. He’d barely been able to get out of bed since the incident and so he was letting himself absorb the pull and ache of his muscles, the tightening of his chest that came from exercising. Though, if Sam – whose wife Eileen had stepped up to make sure that Dean made it through the day – and Cas could see him, they’d both have him tied to the bed. But, his brother was home taking a shower, Eileen had gone back to work and his husband was on deployment so after he’d promised his nurse that he’d be a good patient for the rest of the day, he’d been allowed to take his wheelchair out of the room on his own.  


He found himself on the farthest left side of his floor, staring up at a set of double doors and the words “neonatal and infancy unit” above them. From inside, he could hear the cries of newborn infants and remembered back to a couple of years ago when his station had done a “cuddle day” at the unit. Slowly, he shifted to reach for the button to open the doors automatically, rolling his chair backwards so that they could open.  


“Can I help you?” Dean startled, glancing up at a nurse who was standing on the other side of the door, midway through twisting her brunette hair up into a ponytail. Dean swallowed nervously and rolled himself into the unit.  


“I, err, um a few years ago, I did a, um, volunteer thing here, cuddling babies you know? With the fire department.” The woman was peering down at him with a hard to reach expression on her face that made him shift uncomfortably in his wheelchair, “I’m on the cardio ward and I’m bored, figured I’d offer to help, you know?” Finally, the woman laughed, a deep chuckle that had Dean flushing.  


“Come on this way, we can always use an extra pair of hands around here.” Dean was grateful that she didn’t try to push him to where she wanted him, and he followed as quickly as his body would let him. They stepped into a side room and the nurse – he was told to call her Lisa – helped Dean step from his wheelchair to a comfier, high backed, padded, blue hospital chair, eyeing the way his arms shook as he rested them on the chair arms. Across the room, a woman was pacing back and forth, a screaming baby in her arms.  


“Here we go,” Lisa placed a tiny baby girl in his arms, “You up to feeding Lotte?” Dean nodded, accepting the small bottle as he carefully shifted the baby into a more comfortable position and slipped the teat into her mouth. The baby sucked hard, blue eyes blinking up at him, a crease between her eyes that he stretched his index finger away from the bottle to stroke smooth. He fed and burped Lotte, cuddling her until she fell asleep curled up on his chest, Dean’s hands trying not to catch on the wires she was attached too, while working to keep his own IV lines clear of hers. With expert hands, Lisa swapped Lotte for a slightly bigger baby who had a cast from his hips to his ankles.  


“Ollie here has developmental dysplasia of the hips,” Lisa explained, “Hence the cast but he’s fine otherwise.” Dean nodded, letting his fingertips trace over the baby’s bare tummy until he got a gummy smile. It wasn’t long before Lisa was passing him a second bottle.

All while he’d cuddled Lotte and Ollie, the nurses had passed the screaming baby between them, each looking exasperated and exhausted when nothing seemed to work, and the baby kept crying. Several times, he opened his mouth, but it was only when a nurse carefully took a sleeping Ollie from him that he turned slightly, his voice raised above the cries.  


“Do you want me to try?” He was hesitant to offer as babies weren’t exactly his area of expertise, but the two nurses exchanged a look, Lisa shrugging before the baby was shifted into her arms and she brought the screaming baby over.  


“We’ve tested her but there doesn’t seem to be anything that’s making her cry. She’s not stopped since they brought her in four days ago unless she’s falling asleep from exhaustion.” Dean nodded, slipping a hand under the baby’s yellow hatted head and neck, letting the infant squirm and kick the skinny arms free from the swaddling blankets, face red, tiny fists clenched.  


“What’s their name?”  


“Ellory Grace,” Dean dipped his chin once more, bringing the baby to his chest as he shifted to slouch more in his seat.  


“Hi Miss Ellory,” he whispered the words into the tiny tuffs of dark hair that were escaping the hat she wore, “How about you give these guys a break huh? Making a lot of noise for such a tiny thing.” He felt a nose brush against his t-shirt and the tiny hands unclenched long enough to fist in his top. There was a hitch in her cries, her little body shaking under his hand where it was spread across her back, as she tried t catch her breath before she pressed her gaunt little cheek up against Dean’s chest, thumb slipping into her mouth and silence finally fell.  


“Holy crow,” Lisa whispered after several minutes of quiet. Dean blinked over at the nurses who’d all crept over to peer down at the baby girl. The nurses all exchanged looks and Lisa turned to another dark-haired nurse.  


“Sarah, will you grab a bottle of hungry baby milk?” The nurse nodded and hurried away. Dean shifted to gently cup the back of Ellory’s head, smiling his thanks when Lisa tucked a rolled-up* blanket under his arms and Ellory’s light weight.  


“If you manage to get a bottle down her, I’m kidnapping you from the cardio ward,” Lisa whispered to him from where she was crouched down beside him. Dean swallowed in surprise, “You’ve no idea how long we’ve waited for peace and quiet.”

~~~~~~~~~~

“How’s my brother?” Sam watched the way the nurses’ eyes widened as he stood on the other side of the ward desk, “What’s happened?” his heart clenched, worried that he’d have to make a call to Castiel telling him that something had happened to Dean.  


“We allowed him to get out of bed and wheel himself through the corridors,” one man started, clearly hoping that his colleagues would step in and take over, “We agreed on an hour, but he’s not come back yet.”  


“You’ve lost my brother?” Sam questioned, keeping his voice low, “He’s recovering from heart surgery and you’ve lost him?”  


“Mr. Winchester,” a second nurse cut in, flinching when Sam twisted to glare at her.  


“Hey Scott,” the group of nurses and Sam turned to the ward door where a woman had stuck her head around it, “We’re keeping your patient, he’s a miracle worker!” she came closer to grab a file from behind the desk and quickly ducked out of the doorway and disappeared, leaving the nurses to watch hesitantly as Sam Winchester turned to look at them.  


“I’m guessing she’s talking about my brother and you’ve not lost more patients,” the nurses nodded slowly, “Where did she work?”  


“Neonatal,” Scott muttered, “Turn right at the elevators and follow the purple line.” Sam didn’t bother saying thanks as he left the cardiology ward, heading back to the elevators, eyes following the purple line on the wall to the double doors. He hit the button and stepped inside, walking along the corridor to the ward desk.  


“Can I help you?”  


“I’m looking for my brother, word is you’ve kidnapped him.” The woman behind the desk grinned and pushed to her feet, beckoning Sam to follow her as they went into a side room, weaving through the rows of clear plastic cots to a back room. The woman eased open the door and stepped aside so that Sam could step inside. Dean was sprawled on a bed, attached to an IV and heart monitor like he had been for the last year. He was fast asleep, and Sam was surprised to see the tiny lump on his chest, a nurse was writing something on a clipboard and she smiled over at him.  


“Hey, you here for Dean?” when he nodded, the woman waved him over to a seat, “He’s not long fallen asleep, so I wouldn’t wake him up,” she smiled, “If you want anything, we’ll be wandering around the floor, come and find us.” Sam nodded, collapsing into the chair, peering over at his brother. After a moment, he leant forward, realizing that there was a tiny baby on Dean’s chest. The baby snuffled and lifted their head, blinking big blue eyes sleepily around the room.  


“You could pick her up,” Sam started at the voice, twisting to see a new nurse in the doorway, “Your brother’s the only one who’s got her to stop crying. Her mama died in a car crash and Social Services can't find her daddy.” Sam peered at his brother in surprise before he eased his hands between the girl and Dean’s chest, lifting her. Careful to support her head, Sam eyed the baby, watching her eyebrows pull down and her mouth open.  


“Shh,” he said softly, “You’ve fallen for my brother’s charm huh? Yeah all the girls do.” Her little nose scrunched up and Sam couldn’t help smiling, “I bet you could wrap Dean around your little finger huh?” he tickled her ribs as he rested her against his thighs, grinning when she shook her tiny fists up at him.  


“Ellory?” Sam looked up to see Dean’s hand running across his chest, even as he had his eyes closed. After a moment, they flew open in panic and Sam shifted, reaching for the light.  


“Hey Dean.”  


“Sammy?”  


“Yeah, I heard you’d escaped from Cardio,” he grinned at his brother, “After meeting this one, I can see how you were suckered into staying.” Dean lay there for a minute, blinking at the ceiling and Sam had to wonder if he was fighting going back to sleep but seconds later, he was slowly rolling onto his side, looking at his brother and the infant. It wasn’t long before Dean had fallen back to sleep, his arm extended towards Sam and the baby. Sam let the little girl gnaw on his knuckle, holding his index finger with both hands, dwarfed by him. As she squinted up at him, happily chewing away, Sam understood how quickly she’d wrapped Dean around her tiny, delicate fingers.

~~~~~~~~~

The elevator doors opened, and the soldier had barely stepped onto the hospital floor before he was greeted.  


“Holy shit Cas!” a body collided with Castiel and the soldier felt like he’d just been run over by a moose.  


“Hello Sam.” He let himself relax enough to hug his brother-in-law back, his heart finally slowing from the pounding in his chest that it had been since he’d gotten the call about Dean’s surgery. Sam felt everything. There was no way he’d be this cheerful if there was something to worry about.  


“Where’s Dean?” he asked as Sam released him, his hands running across his ribs where they ached slightly at the tightness of his hug, spotting Eileen sitting in a nearby chair, book folded on her thumb as she smiled over at him. Sam clapped him on the shoulder before letting Cas go and hug his wife in greeting.  


“It’s good to see you,” Eileen said as her chin rested on his shoulder. Cas pulled back far enough to sign his thanks, pressing a kiss to her cheek.  


“Dean?” with a roll of his eyes, Sam pointed down the corridor.  


“Room seven,” Cas began moving, pausing only when Sam called after him, “Oh and congrats by the way.” Cas didn’t know what he meant by that, but he wasn’t worried as room seven came into view and he was able to stand in the open doorway, catching sight of his husband in person for the first time in almost a year. He was lying on the bed for once, tucked under the covers and Cas wondered how the nurses had got him to say. Over the last year, he’d gotten so many emails from Eileen asking him to threaten his husband into staying put before she decided to stake him to the bed.  


Now though, Cas was never going to leave his side, his Lieutenant Colonel having allowed him to honorarily discharge after he’d gone straight past his Major after the discrimination against him having a husband. He’d been promised a big pay out as well as a decent pension once the paperwork was completed. Despite the dim lighting in the room, Cas could see a tiny lump against Dean’s chest, supported by an arm. Sam’s words came back to him as he recognized the way Dean was cradling the tiny form from last year when they’d gone to meet his brother Gabriel and his wife Kali’s baby boy.  


“Who knew heart transplants came with a baby on the side,” the soldier watched the smile spread across his husband’s face, the green eyes shifting away from the television screen that was playing on mute.  


“Yeah, you don’t think it’s too late to ask for a refund, do you?” he asked, shifting so that he could stretch out an arm towards Cas, fingers flexing to beckon him closer. Cas obliged, letting Dean pull him onto bed, tucked up against his side. Cautiously, Cas let his hand settle on the baby’s back, feeling her tiny body rise and fall.  


“I missed you,” Dean whispered the words against his temple, his cheek touching the top of Castiel’s head. The soldier hummed his agreement, feeling the steady heartbeat pulsing in Dean’s chest. He’d only been listening to it for a minute or so, but he knew that it was a sound he’d never take for granted. On the other side of Dean’s chest, her head perched right above his husband’s heart, the baby opened her eyes, blinking blearily until she seemed to realize that Castiel was staring at her.  


“Hey,” Dean whispered, pausing to gently kiss the baby’s hand where it was stretched up towards his collarbone, watching Cas’s eyes following the movement. The soldier swallowed as he looked into determined green eyes, ninety percent sure of what his husband was going to say next.  


“I know this isn’t something you decide overnight and I know we once talked about it being a possibility but,” he paused to glance down at the baby as he shifted into a more upright position, Castiel sitting up and turning to face Dean, “Cas, I don’t think I can give her up. The doctors told me where the heart transplant came from and I can't leave her, not knowing that her mother’s heart is in here,” he nudged the baby aside enough that he could tap an index finger to his chest, directly over his heart, earning a complaint from the infant who squirmed until she was back in position.  


Castiel rolled his head slightly so that he could smile up at his husband, his fingers tangling with Dean’s, resting over the baby. Dean’s other arm pressed him tighter to his side, something he’d been unable to do the last time they’d been together  


“I guess we’ll have to decide what she’s going to call us.”


End file.
